Operating-knife.



E. KRATZ. I OPERATING KNIFE. APPLIUATIOI II-LLD PERM, 1910.

990,882'. Patented May 2, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST KRATZ, 0E,QERANKFOItT-ON-T'HE-MAIN, GERMANY.

OPERATING-KNIFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 19.11.

Application led February 14, 1910. Serial No. 543,659. if

To 'all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, ERNST KnATz, asub-v ject of the King of Prussia, and a resident of Frankforton-the-Main, Germany, have ,invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating-Knives, of "which the following is a specification. This invention relates to an implement particularlyadapted for use by surgeons and comprising a knife or cutting blade'and detachable handle, the latter being adapted for use as pincers or forceps.

Knives such as are commonly used by surgeons have heretofore euerally been of two classes, one having a lade and handle rigidly secured or formed integral, and the other having a detachable blade with the handle adapted to forni a sheath or receptacle therefor.

The implement herein described is su perior to knives of the character just referred to,' in that the blade may be readily removed and replaced so that blades of different shapes may be employed. The handle being adapted for use as pincers or forceps, also renders the implement of great utility as it iu ei'ect comprises two instruments.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view o' the blade detached; Fig. 2 is a side view of the handle; Fig. 3 is au edge View of the Handle showing the members thereof separated; Fig. 4 is a perective `view of the handle member ...with t e parts inthe position shown' in 3; `and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the {landle in its' closed position engaging-the ilade.

The handle comprises two arms 1, 2 of spring metal, which are connected as at 3,

that the free ends thereof tend to constantly separate. Adjacent such free ends, the inner face of each arm is provided with a roughencd yor serratedsurface 4. The blade adapteili'to be inserted between;r the arms 1` 2" and .means are provided".`

whereby saidfblade is positively locked withjf;

or secured to'the "arms and prevented from.\

turning` between them. .As shown the arm 1,'hason its inner face two laterally projecting pinsA 6. `7, which are adapted to pass through openings 8, 9 in the blade 5, and into openings 10, 11d-in the other arm 2 of the handle.' It will lie seen that each of the held against turning. The members of the Y handle are adapted to be held in their closed position and in close contact with the blade by means of a slide 12 mounted upon the arm E, and adapted to engage a groove or recess formed in a pin 13, on the arm 1; which projects through an opening 14 in the arm 2 when the position.

The advantages incident to such an i1`nplement as hereinbefore described will be readily apparent. It will be seen that the parts can be thoroughly cleaned and readily sterilized', that blades of different 'forms can be easily connected with or removed from the handle, and that the latter when separated from the blade will. form an el'iioientpincers or forceps. Y

Having thus described. the invention, what is claimed is:

1. The herein described surgical imple-.

ment comprising apair of 'pineers or forceps having resilient arms winch are reduced 1n width toward their operative free ends, one

. of said arms having on, its inner face a-vpluh udle is in its closed rality of pins adapted to extend into engagement with the other arm when the arms are in closed position` a removable blade between the narrow end portions of said arms and havingV openings to receive two of said pins, and .neans for holding the arms in their closed position.

2. The herein described surgical instrument comprising a blade, a detachable handie, the latter including two normally separated arms adapted 'to receive; the blade be- In testimony whereof I have Signed my tween them and provided with meansfor enna'me bo this specification in the presence 1G gaging it at a, plurality of longitudinzfxlly of, twn subscribilg Witnesses.

enls of said arms being ljoughenedlzo adapt ERM@ F BRAM `said handle for use 'as pncers, Yand means `Witnesses: adapted to ockA the handle lnhugagement WILHELM KBATZ, with ther blade.; HUGO KRUMM. 

